Widely acknowledged as "the first lady of Indian cinema",[16] the actress debuted in Karma (1933), which was the first Indian English-language film and the first Indian film to feature an on-screen kiss.[17] She also founded the first Indian public limited film company, Bombay Talkies, in 1934.[18]

The founder of two production companies, International Filmcraft and New Theatres, Sircar is considered to be one of the pioneers of Indian cinema. He also built two cinema theatres in Calcutta, one for screening Bengali films and one for Hindi films.[19]

Kapoor began his acting career in theatres and starred in India's first sound film, Alam Ara (1931). He founded Prithvi Theatre, a travelling theatre company in 1944 "to promote Hindi stage productions".[5]

A composer, singer and actor, Mullick began his career providing background music by conducting live orchestras during the screening of silent films.[20] He is best known for Mahishasuramardini, a radio musical composed in 1931.[21]

The director of fifteen feature films in Telugu, Reddy was the first Indian film personality to be honoured with a Doctor of Letters and also the first to receive the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award in India.[23]

Acknowledged as "the first lady of Bengali cinema", Kanan Devi made her acting debut in silent films in the 1920s. She also sang songs written by Rabindranath Tagore and was a producer with her film company, Shrimati Pictures.[25]

Actor-director-producer L. V. Prasad has the distinction of acting in the first talkie films produced in three languages: the Hindi Alam Ara, Tamil Kalidas and Telugu Bhakta Prahlada, all released in 1931.[33] He founded Prasad Studios in 1965 and the Colour Film Laboratory in 1976.[34] Prasad Studios has produced over 150 film in various Indian languages.[35]

Having acted in the first Marathi-language talkie Ayodhyecha Raja (1932), Khote is considered a pioneer among women in Indian cinema.[36] She set up two production companies, Fact Films and Durga Khote Productions, which produced short films and documentaries.[37]

Actor and film-maker V. Shantaram produced and directed India's first colour film, Sairandhri (1931).[40] He also produced and direct the first Marathi-language talkie, Ayodhyecha Raja (1932), and was associated with nearly 100 films over 50 years.[41]

Often revered as "The Show Man",[42] actor and film-maker Kapoor's performance in the Hindi film Awara (1951) was ranked as one of the top ten greatest performances of all time by Time magazine in 2010.[43]

Film-maker Pendharkar started his career in the 1920s and produced more than 60 Marathi films and eight Hindi films. He has been widely recognised for the historical and social narratives depicted in these films.[48]

A playback singer of "extraordinary range and versatility",[58] Bhosle began her singing career in 1948 and is acknowledged by The Guinness Book of World Records as the "most recorded artist in music history".[59]

In a career spanning over five decades, playback singer Dey sang over 3500 songs in various Indian languages. He is also credited with "pioneering a new genre by infusing Indian classical music in a pop framework".[68]

Best known for his collaboration with director Guru Dutt, cinematographer Murthy shot India's first cinemascope film, Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959).[69] He is best remembered for his lighting techniques in Pyaasa (1957) and the "beam shot" in Kaagaz Ke Phool is considered a classic in celluloid history.[70]

In a career spanning over 50 years, D. Ramanaidu produced more than 130 films in various Indian languages but mostly Telugu.[71] He features in The Guinness Book of World Records for having produced films in nine languages.[72]

Film-maker K. Balachander debuted as a director with Neerkumizhi (1965). In a career that spanned over forty years, he directed and produced (through his production house, Kavithalayaa Productions, established in 1981) over 100 films in various Indian languages.[73]

Best known for his frequent collaboration with director Satyajit Ray,[74] Chatterjee debuted as an actor in Apur Sansar (1959) and worked with other directors, such as Mrinal Sen and Tapan Sinha, in a career lasting over 50 years.[75]

Gulzar began his career as a lyricist for Bandini (1963) and debuted as a director with Mere Apne (1971). Known for his successful collaboration with music directors like R. D. Burman and A. R. Rahman, Gulzar won several awards for his lyrics in a career spanning over 50 years.[77][78]

Winner of two National Film Awards including Best Actor for New Delhi Times in 1985, Kapoor debuted as a child actor at the age of four in the plays directed by his father Prithviraj Kapoor and later as a leading man in the 1961 film Dharmputra. In 1978, Kapoor set up his production house Film "Valas" and played major role in reviving the Prithvi Theatre group, set up by his father.[11]

Viswanath started his career as a sound recordist. In a film career spanning sixty years, Viswanath has directed fifty three feature films in a variety of genres, including films based on performing arts, visual arts, and aesthetics. Viswanath has garnered five National Film Awards, and has received international recognition for his works.[79][80]